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Hurricane Holes
Hurricane Holes in the NW Caribbean. Your suggestions and experience appreciated. Mexico (see Cruising World article below) Belize :Rio Hondo - "deep water" river - once you get over the bar. (Bar was at 3' in 2007 but mostly silt, before hurricane Iris it was plenty deep) Explore ahead of time. River goes back at least 10 miles, narrow and good spots to tie off to mangroves. Perfect for cats even with the silted bar. 2001 four of five charter cats survived 170 mph winds of Iris. 35'er with only one anchor down was one that flipped. Guatemala (see Cruising World article below) Honduras Roatan :Calabash Bight ::For entry into Calabash Bight, Roatan Island, Honduras: ::Outside Initial approach fix: 16.23.430N 086.20.066W, this will line you up for entry. ::Red Marker Buoy: 16.23.521N 086.20.131W We just installed this on the very edge of the cut leave to starboard and close to it by no less than 20 feet. Steer app. 320 deg to next marker. ::White Marker: 16.23.769N 086.20.301W This marks a cut though an inside reef, leave to starboard and pass close (10-15') as this cut is only 50 feet wide. ::Remember that the closer the Hurricanes approaches there will be several Shrimp boats, The Ferry and others showing up in this Bight as it is the Hurricane hole for Roatan Island. Most of these boats go all the way to the head of the Bight and string lines ashore to the mangroves and each other so if your a last minute entry keep a sharp eye out for all of these lines and anchor rodes! :Bodden Bight (Hole n' Wall) thumb | google earth ::All the way back in bight across from the Hole n' Wall restaurant. Not much room but it's well protected. :French Harbor -inner harbor (see Cruising World article below) :Brick Bay (see Cruising World article below) La Cieba :Lagoon Marina :La Cieba Shipyard Web Links Cruising World (http://www.cruisingworld.com/capable-cruising/projects/hurricane-season-and-boat-work-201975.html) :Hurricane Season and Boat Work :Jan 29, 2003 :By Staff (More articles by this author) ::Río Dulce, Guatemala: This is the best and safest choice for hurricane season and for leaving a boat for inland travel. Marinas are protected 25 miles upriver and insulated by mountains. Specialized services, such as electronics repair, are available. Basic labor (nonprofessional) cost less than US$20 per day. ::Isla Mujeres, Mexico: Two professional marinas are located here. Cruising friends rebuilt their rudder in Isla, then rejected spending hurricane season (it's too exposed). "We hauled at Puerto Isla Mujeres Marina¿a good choice for extensive boat work," said Harold Clapp. Prices were US$30/hour for skilled labor and US$10 for unskilled. ::Honduras: Roatán's deep bays offer substantial protection from north winds. "Every year, a handful of boats spend hurricane season cruising the south coast," said Carl Heckrotte, who explored Roatán on two cruises. "You watch the weather." French Harbor Yacht Club and Brick Bay offer decent hurricane holes; cruisers weathered Hurricane Mitch there. A second recommended option is La Ceiba (on the mainland), a great choice if you're leaving a boat for an extended period or doing boat work. We kept Ithaka at Lagoon Marina for 10 days in January (it's protected a mile upriver) while exploring Honduras. Lagoon is new and professional, with first-class showers, docks, and a beautiful pool. Near Lagoon is La Ceiba Shipyard, an excellent facility for boat work and where we hauled Ithaka. It has a 100-ton Travelift, a skilled workforce, boat storage on the hard, American management, and reasonable prices